Q6. What kind of people are serving as volunteers?

A6. There is a wide range of volunteers. Volunteering is limited to those aged 18 or older, so the youngest are 18. The oldest are two 80-year-old men, one in Osaka and one in Ibaraki, and they will support the World Cup in their towns. While many of the volunteers are office workers, students, and homemakers, there are also stewardesses and ikebana (flower arranging) teachers, so volunteers come from a wide variety of backgrounds. There are slightly more women than men.

Many of the volunteers at the World Cup are also volunteers at J. League matches, so they know what is expected. Others helped out at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics or last year's Confederations Cup in Japan. It is hoped that those who already have experience will serve as leaders for the new volunteers.

Among the volunteers are about 1,000 foreign residents of Japan. As Japan is co-hosting the World Cup with South Korea, many Korean residents are helping to act as a bridge between the two nations. The enthusiasm of volunteers can be seen in the story of an American who used to work in Japan as a teacher; although he had gone back to America, he returned to Japan when he heard that volunteers were being accepted to work at the World Cup.

Kunio Tanaka is a volunteer who makes toys from paper and other everyday objects and gives them to children. He has decided to make presents for spectators at the World Cup as part of his volunteering efforts. (Kunio Tanaka)